Syntax
In addition to the analysis of vocabulary, LNDb also includes an analysis of three syntactic measures: words per sentence, T-units per sentence (expressed as the average ratio of compound sentences to total sentences), and subordinate clauses/verb phrases per sentence (expressed as the average ratio of complex sentences to total sentences).
LNDb makes no judgment as to whether these features make a text more or less comprehensible. The statistics are descriptive of the novella's language rather than predictive of its difficulty.
Words per sentence: This measure gives the average number of words per sentence.
T-units per sentence: A T-unit (terminable unit) is a syntactic measure devised by Kendall Hunt in the 1960s. A T-unit is defined as the smallest grammatically allowable division of a sentence that can stand on its own without leaving sentence fragments behind. Put another way, a T-unit is exactly one independent clause plus any dependent clauses along with it.
Texts with a high number of T-units per sentence make more use of compound sentences, frequently joining independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction like et, sed, or neque. Texts with a low number of T-units per sentence use fewer coordinating conjunctions and a greater number of simple sentences.
Subordinate clauses per sentence: This measure counts not only subordinate clauses as traditionally defined (e.g. relative clauses, result clauses, cum clauses) but also verb phrases (e.g. infinitive phrases, participle phrases, ablative absolute).
Some technical details:
LNDb makes no judgment as to whether these features make a text more or less comprehensible. The statistics are descriptive of the novella's language rather than predictive of its difficulty.
Words per sentence: This measure gives the average number of words per sentence.
T-units per sentence: A T-unit (terminable unit) is a syntactic measure devised by Kendall Hunt in the 1960s. A T-unit is defined as the smallest grammatically allowable division of a sentence that can stand on its own without leaving sentence fragments behind. Put another way, a T-unit is exactly one independent clause plus any dependent clauses along with it.
Texts with a high number of T-units per sentence make more use of compound sentences, frequently joining independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction like et, sed, or neque. Texts with a low number of T-units per sentence use fewer coordinating conjunctions and a greater number of simple sentences.
Subordinate clauses per sentence: This measure counts not only subordinate clauses as traditionally defined (e.g. relative clauses, result clauses, cum clauses) but also verb phrases (e.g. infinitive phrases, participle phrases, ablative absolute).
Some technical details:
- For this measure, a sentence is generally defined as a series of words ending in a period, exclamation point, or question mark, regardless of whether it fits the grammatical definition of having a subject and a verb.
- Direct quotes are counted as separate sentences. Thus "Mārcus inquit 'Necesse est canem invenīre'" is counted as two sentences: "Mārcus inquit" and "Necesse est canem invenīre."
- Interjections and vocatives that precede a sentence are counted along with the sentence that follows. Thus "Ēheu! Misera sum!" is one three-word sentence.
- Interjections and vocatives that follow a sentence are counted as a part of the T-unit that precedes. Thus "Tū es stultus! Hahahae!" is one four-word sentence.
- Sentences with two or more T-units separated by an ellipsis that continue on another point on the page are considered on a case-by-case basis. Sentences with two or more T-units separated by an ellipsis that continue on the next page are considered as two sentences.
- In dialogue where the character stutters or repeats a word, the word is counted each time it is repeated.
- In sentences with a coordinating conjunction, the conjunction is counted as part of the second T-unit.
- All direct quotes are counted as separate T-units even if they are not grammatical sentences.
- Interjections and vocatives that precede a sentence are counted as a part of the T-unit that follows. Thus "Ēheu! Misera sum!" is one three-word T-unit.
- Interjections and vocatives that follow a sentence are counted as a part of the T-unit that precedes. Thus "Tū es stultus! Hahahae!" is one four-word T-unit.
- Compound sentences where the second T-unit governs an element of the first T-unit—a sentence like Valeria canem videt et vocat—are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- If a sentence breaks off with a coordinating conjunction (e.g. "Tē amō, sed..."), that conjunction belongs to the previous T-unit.
- Generally, a second T-unit that begins within a subordinate clause is counted as a separate T-unit.
- Repetitions of verbs (e.g. "Puella currit et currit et currit") are counted as separate T-units.
- An infinitive or participle alone does not constitute a verb phrase unless it governs other words in the sentence. Thus, "Volō currere" does not contain a verb phrase, but "Volō in agrīs currere" does.
- Direct quotations are not subordinate clauses.
- An ablative absolute with no verb (e.g. Caesare duce) counts in this category.
